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Bronislaw Komorowski9th President of Poland
Date of Birth: 04.06.1954
Country:  Poland |
Content:
Biography of Bronisław Komorowski
Bronisław Komorowski was born on June 4, 1954, in Oborniki Śląskie, near Wrocław, in southern Poland. He grew up in a poor family, the son of a professor of African studies. Komorowski lived in Warsaw from 1966. In 1971, even before finishing school, he was arrested for anti-communist activities and participated in the activities of the Workers' Defense Committee and the Movement for the Defense of Human and Civil Rights. In 1977, Komorowski graduated from the History Faculty of the University of Warsaw. He was involved in the publication and distribution of underground literature. From 1980 to 1981, he led the Mazowieckie branch of the independent trade union "Solidarity" and was interned after the introduction of martial law in the country in 1982. After being released, Komorowski started publishing the anti-government magazine "ABC" and worked as a history teacher until 1989. From 1990 to 1993, Komorowski served as Deputy Minister of Defense of Poland. In 1991, he was first elected to the Polish Sejm and has been re-elected as a deputy since then, for some time being a member of the inter-party coalition "Solidarity". From 1997 to 2000, Komorowski held the position of Chairman of the National Defense Committee of the Sejm. From 2000 to 2001, he served as Minister of Defense in the government of Jerzy Buzek. In 2001, Komorowski joined the Civic Platform party.
Political Career and Presidency
From 2005 to 2007, Komorowski was the Vice Chairman of the Polish Sejm, and in 2007, he was elected as the Chairman of the Polish Parliament. On March 27, 2010, after the leader of the Civic Platform and Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, refused to run for president, Komorowski was nominated as the Civic Platform's candidate for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for the fall of 2010. In the press, it was reported that before his election as Speaker of the Sejm, Komorowski advocated for a tough stance towards Russia. In his opinion, "Russia needs to be growled at, because any other tone is perceived by the Kremlin as a sign of weakness." However, since 2007, Komorowski has taken a more friendly position towards Russia, and he was referred to as a balanced candidate, unlike the incumbent President Lech Kaczyński, who also intended to run for a second term. Nevertheless, according to experts, Komorowski's platform in foreign policy towards the East was close to Kaczyński's policy and his party "Law and Justice". According to public opinion polls, by the end of March 2010, Komorowski could count on 60 percent of the voters' support. On April 10, 2010, President of Poland Lech Kaczyński died in a plane crash near Smolensk. Following this, according to the constitution, Komorowski assumed the position of Acting President of the Republic. He was also responsible for setting the date for the early presidential elections.
Personal Life
Komorowski is married to Anne Dembowska, and they have five children: Zofia, Tadeusz, Marie, Piotr, and Elzbiete.
